Amazon Help Me With My Method

Hello everyone,

I have created a site that relates to mountain biking. The site has a lot of articles over 4000 words of contents and has new articles added every other day. The site also has a lot of added contents and matrixes that review different types of mountain bikes and give you pointers on mountain biking in general. I have been told by viewers that it is an amazing site and it is very interactive, the bounce rate is only 4% and most users spend a average of three minutes on the site.

The site has about three Amazon links placed within each article that suggest or relate to a product that would have to do with the article and it has two matrixes that show pros and cons and top five lists of each product.

The site is fairly new. However, I have reached about 2000 views in the past three months translating now to about 1000 views a month. However, I have not been able to converts my Amazon clicks which I have had over 100 of and none have bought anything.

I think this has to do with the fact that mountain bikes are an expensive item which cost over $1000 a bike with the cheap ones being about $700 and people usually do not buy something of that cost in the same day so the 24 hour Amazon cookie is wearing out. Additionally amazon only gives 4% commission at my level.

I am losing faith that this idea will lead me to the results that I want and I am considering switching to AdSense if I am to continue with this project. At any rates. I think that AdSense will allow me to convert more clicks because of my long average time on the site over amazon.

I was wondering does anyone have a similar site or have had the same problem or can anyone see any holes in my logic.

Thank you,

Vladimir

I'm in a similar situation, although am making sales of related products, I have setup a niche website focusing on relatively high value products. The site has been up for about 3 months now, its receiving about 40 uniques a day with a good click through rate although conversions seem relatively low, although I believe I have the answer. Many visitors are using the site for research, to find out more detail and then visit local stores (where because of size and transport) as the price is far more competitive and has no carriage. If you think about your bikes, most you would buy online are likely to be delivered and need to be assembled by visiting a cycle store they can collect the same day and it's assembled.

My solution to the issue, find other suppliers / affiliate programs for the same products who have branches / local outlets across the country you are targeting, thus allowing the user to click and collect = 6% minimum commission and your conversion rate will increase.

Good luck

Thanks TG appreciate the advice. I think your right about the visitors using the site for research before local purchases. You may be right about the other supplier idea ill look into finding out what type of affiliates i can get my hands on.

I was wondering if you had tried adsense at all? Its doing great for my other sites and this is my first amazon site. I kind of have a feeling like ill be selling my soul if i switch to adsense this late in the game and after so many articles, but it will defiantly give me immediate profits.

Just to iterate for others in future (from PM) niche websites tend to be built to target affiliate products, provide advice and add value to the end user, your website is designed to aid their choice and funnel the customer to the affilate's website. By introducing adsense adverts, albeit an immediate income can be generated, your affiliate links that could earn say $20 - 40 a sale are then competing against adsense adverts where you'll be paid say $0.19 per click. I would prefer to give the clicks away and hit say 1/50 than introduce competition to your already struggling links.

The site traffic is very small. Also people are unlikely to buy mountain bikes online. They go to store and try before they buy.

Thanks I brought up my old commission junction subscription and reactivated it and found some interesting programs I couldn't find any from direct suppliers worth a damn.

Looks like the big thing here is the cookie... amazon offers a 1 day cookie which is nothing for a big product that requires research. Although you do get income off anything else a user buys, but that usually is not much regardless.

I went and found an affiliate that offers a 120 day cookie. Which is amazing since it allows them time to continue research and decide.

Yes the argument people dont buy bikes online is valid its a large item thats why I was considering the adsense, people dont buy them maybe but they do research them and price match so those adsense links might work.

I think im going to try this affiliate for 3 months I have little to lose since the site is still growing and see if i get 1 sale. That will be enough to gauge it since it will be about 3000 visitors. If I cant get at least 2 sales its a dud and im switching to adsense.

Start pushing smaller parts. Make a few tables reviewing various brake pads, tires, tubes etc. These small items will get you lots of clicks and the money will start to add up. Eventually when your sites traffic grows large enough, you will start selling bikes. Perhaps your viewers aren't totally convinced at the end of your article that they "must have" the featured bike?

Keep collecting those amazon clicks on the small stuff and before you know it you'll be making decent money on diapers, tampons, and clothing. You never know what people will buy! I had a guy click on one of my links somewhere and ended up buying 20 items related to having a 70's party! 5 different wigs, 70's hats and all sorts of crap, I made decent money off the random shopping spree and it happens all the time.

gogreen said:

The site traffic is very small. Also people are unlikely to buy mountain bikes online. They go to store and try before they buy.

Click to expand...

What do you know about these people? Do you know why they are coming to your site? Which pges they tend to stay on more? Heatmaps and Google Analtyics tracking? You need behavior data before you make such assumptions. People don't go buy cars at the dealerships all the time (craigslist and even eBay have general car sales). It's not price point that turns people off, its how well you can manipulate them into buying that will turn them hot or cold (sales or not).

I think that if people are really that engaged with your site i.e. low bounce rate and you have great content, you should be getting them on an email list. Offer them a free report "top five mistakes people make when buying a highend bla bla bike" something like that. From there you can introduce affiliate offers to them and make your money from the list. Once they buy the bike locally you can be hitting them with offers for gear for the bike, clothing ect.
Just my 2 cents worth without really knowing your niche
-JC

I think if you have a great contect with native english written you can sell it as many as you want.
I have a amazon website on a car wheels niche, i can sell everyday 20+ wheels.

I agree with webseo, try targeting lower priced bikes and get more traffic. Also, start looking for problems people might have with said bikes and offer them a solution. My first Amazon site had sold a handful of the products I built the site for. But is sold countless accessories for that product. For example if I was selling an high end t shirt and a problem with that shirt was that it wrinkled easy, well I would sell a shit load of irons because the people that own that shirt have that problem.

So maybe your high end mountain bikes have shit chains, or maybe people need thous little wraps on their pants to keep their pants clean. Or maybe you can sell them tubes. Who cares what you sell them in the end of the day, just sell them something.

Dear,
We are also running an amazon affiliate program. I think your niche has limited clientele that's why it shows low sales. Kindly do competitors review and analyse your performace with them. Over all, your website strategy is awesome. Wait for your success.

I also don't think they buy bikes online as much, but also those who do buy online they might take a week or two to research and maybe even buy a bike from your link but your cookie is gone by then! Also keep in mind they might research on the laptop but then buy from the mobile app the card syncs but the cookie doesn't so again you don't get paid.

I would say try to replace with adsense see what you get.

Good luck.

TF

check your products has good review or not..
Sales only made through if the product has
# More than 4 star rating
# More than 25 positive reviews
in my experience above the range of products gets sales everyday..

I get 7% of sales from my visitors.
Also dont try with above $500 products
try $50 to $250 range products.